Locomotive tender



Feb. 8, 1938. P. A. KETCHPEL LocoMoTIvE TENDER 3 Sheets-Sheei', l

Original Filed OG t. 26, 1933 INVENTOR. Pam, A-Ketc/1fae ATTORNEY.

Feb.\8, 1938. P. A. KETCHPEL LoCoMoTIVE TENDER Original Filed Oct. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVENT0R. v Pu, -Ketchpe ATTORNEY.

Feb. 8, 1938. P. A. KETCHPEL 2,107,419

LocoMoTIvE TENDER y Original Filed Oct. 26, 1933 'o' Sheets-.Sheet 3 l' INVENTOR. P/ 62 e/ 0 K .Pauw AKefc/vpe/ 5MM EQ. 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT FFECE LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Application October 26, 1933, Serial No.v 695,333 Renewed March 12, 1936 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to railway rolling stock and appertains particularly to locomotive tenders of the class equipped with fuel advancing means.

The main object of the invention is the provision of an improved locomotive tender of the character described.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a locomotive tender of fuel advancing means for moving the fuel from the eXtreme rearward end of the fuel bin to the front end of the tender; and more specifically, a further object is to provide such a construction wherein fuel advancing means is disposed on the rear slope sheet of the fuel bin for advancing fuel forwardly to still another fuel advancing means disposed beneath the usual shiftable slide plates in the bottom of the fuel bin. It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide with such 20 structure a novel driving means for operating the fuel advancing means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved locomotive tender including novel fuel advancing means in the fuel bin 25 thereof useful with or without the tender conveyor unit of a locomotive stoker mechanism.

My invention is especially advantageous in the construction of unusually long tenders although certain aspects of it readily adapt themselves to tenders of ordinary size or even to the smaller sizes, as will be apparent to those familiar with railway rolling stock upon reading the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view through the rear portion of a locomotive and through the forward portion of the improved tender of my invention with the fuel advancing mechanism therefor being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure l illustrating the adjacent end portions of the fuel advancing mechanisms with some portions broken away and others shown in section; l

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modification of the drive mechanism of the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 1 but illustrating a modification of the invention wherein a plurality of screw conveyors are disposed on the slope sheet of the fuel bin;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 1 and l but representing still another modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross sectional View taken on the irregular line -'I of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View similar 5 to Figure 5 but illustrating a modification of the drive mechanism;

Figure 9 is a transverse cross sectional View taken on the line S- of Figure 6; and

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view taken l0 on the line IIl-I of Figure 9. k,

On the drawings and referring particularly to Figures l and 2, the locomotive tender is indicated as a whole at I Il. Its fuel bin is represented at Il, the water compartment at I 2 and the un- 15 derfrarne at I3. The customary Stoker conveyor compartment usually disposed beneath the floor l of the fuel bin is shown at I5. It is separated, as well as the fuel bin, from the water compartment I 2 by the usual or any suitable arrangement 20 of partition plates including the rear slope sheet I5 of the fuel bin. Within the compartment I5 there is mounted on the underfrarne I3 a Stoker fuel conveyor Il. That portion of the floor I4 directly above the conveyor Il is apertured as at 25 I8 and the aperture is closed over or a shiftable opening formed by the customary shiftable slide plates I9.

From Figure l, it will be observed the slide plates .are placed to form the opening 20 adjacent 30 the front end of the fuel hin. Fuel passing through this opening falls into the trough 2I of the stoker conveyor il' where it is moved forward by the screw 22. Conveyors 23 and 24 then transfer the fuel from the tender forward to the 35 firebox 25 of the locomotive 26, the underframe of which is designated at 2l.

As the supply of fuel diminishes in the fuel bin the slide plates are successively moved forward thus shifting the opening 29 rearwardly until it 40 is positioned above the rear end of the conveyor I l. Ordinarily, in past practice, the rear slope sheet of the fuel bin would incline upwardly at a comparatively steep angle directly rearward of the rearward position of the opening 2D and thus 45 substantially all of the fuel would be removed from the bin, but in the improved tender of my invention therear slope sheet I6 inclines upwardly at a moderate angle from a point a short distance back from the aperture in the floor I4 to 50 increase the capacity of the fuel bin.

Fuel advancing means is mounted in the fuel bin on the rear slope sheet I5 for advancing the fuel resting thereon forwardly toward the conveyor Il. For this purpose, in the preferred emf 33 extends rearwardly from the engine and is con- Y bodiment' of the invention, there is employed a sectional screw conveyor 28rotatably jcurnalled in the bearings 29, 35, and 3|. disposed longitudinally and centrally of the fuel bin, althou'glLa pluralitycf conveyors may be used if desired. Preferably, the screw conveyor 28 tapers rearwardly fro-m its forward end. The large forward end acts to push the fuel forward into the conveyor Il and advances the fuel forwardly more rapidly than it is advanced by the smaller rear flights of the screws. Hence, congestion is avoided and less power is required to actuate the screw.

Both the screw 22 of the stoker conveyor |'l and the sectional screw 28 are driven from the same source of power or drive engineA 32 mounted on the locomotiveY underframe 2l. A drive Vshaft ing and shafting nowtobe described.

The screw shaft 38 extends rearward from the drive gear 31 and has looselyl mounted thereon a pinion gear 39 'which on one side carries teeth 4D, thus consituting one element of a clutchY the Vother element 4| of which is'slidably dispo-sed on the square end of theV screw shaft 38. En-

gagement of the clutch elements imparts the motion of the screw shaft 38 through the pinion gear V3!! to the large gear 42 fixed on the lower end of the screw shaft 43 of the sectional screw 28, The shaft 43 is vmounted in the bearing 29 which punctures the fuel bin floor. Hence, all

` of the aforesaid gears are positioned beneath the fuel bin floor where access may be had to them through an opening 44 in the underframe I3.

In operation of this embodimentof Ymy inven-v tion, the tender is first filled with fuel. The first slide plate i9@ is pulled forward tocreate the opening 20 in the position as shown in Figure 1.

,'Fuel falling through Vthe opening 2B is received in the trough 2| and'is moved forward to the locomotive fireboX by the screw 22Y and the conveyors 23 `and 24. The screw 22 and the aforesaid conveyors are ofcourse driven from the drive engine 32 by means of the shaft 33 and the gears 35 and3l'. While the fuel is being supplied from the Yfront end of the fuel bin there is no need to operate the sectional screw conveyor 28 so during this condition the clutch'elements 45,4! are out of engagementV as illustrated in Figures l and 2. When Vthe supply of fuel recedes in the fuel'bin until it stops feedingY by gravity into the conveyor Il, then the clutch elements 40, 4| areengaged by shifting the yoke whichY may be controlled by suitable Vlevers (notY shown) `from the front end of the tender. Engagement of the clutch elements imparts rotary motion to the sectional screw 28, thus advancing the fuel from the rearward part of the fuel binV towardY and into the conveyor Il, the screw 22 of which is in operation and advances the fuel forward tothe conveyors 23 and 24. n

The drive engine 32 is reversible and when run in reverse it will cause the fuel advancing screws to rotate in reverse direction. This is necessary at timesito remove foreign material which may become lodged in the conveyors. By disengaging This conveyor is the clutch elements 40, 4|- it will be understood that the screw 22 of the conveyor Il may be reversed, or operated in its normal fuel advancing movement'independently of the sectional screw 28. In this construction the screw 28 can not be operated independently of the screw 22.

There are times, however,l when it is desirable to operate in forward or reverse directions either one of the fuel advancing screws 22 and 28 independently ofthe other. This is accomplished by the drive mechanism shown in Figure 3 which mechanism is illustrated as adapted for use with the fuel advancing screws of Figures 1 and 2. Y Referring now to Figure 3, the gear 50, which it will be understood is driven from the pinion gear 36, the shaft 33 and the drive engine 32 of the structure `heretofore described, is fixedlyl mounted on a shaft 5|, one end of which is loosely f `iournalled in the screw shaftY 52 which is Yfixed in the rear end of the screw 22. That portion of the screw shaft 52 within. the bearing 53Yis round butV that portion adjacent the gear 5l! is square and there is slidably mounted on the square portion a clutch element 54, the teeth of which are arranged for interlocking engagement withthei teeth or clutch elements` 55 on'the gear 55. Thus by shifting the yoke 55, controlled in any suitable manner, to engage the clutch elements 54, 55 it will be understood that motion from therpinion 36 Will be transmittedthrough the gear 5l) to the clutch elements and in turn to the screw shaft 52 and the screw 22. WithA the clutch elements Y disengaged it will be seen that motion can be imparted to the shaft 5| while the screw 22 is inoperative. f Rearward of thegear 56 the shaft 5| extends through the bearing 5l and there is loosely mounted on itsextended portion a pinion gear 58 carrying the teeth or clutch elements 58. That portion yof* the shaft 5| extending beyond the' gear: 58 is made square and carries the slidable clutch element 60, the teeth of which are arranged for interlocking engagement with the clutch elements 59 of the gear 58.- Y"I'he latter meshes with the gear 42 for driving the sectional screw 28.

With the clutch elements. 54 and 55, and the Y clutch elements 59 and 68 in engagement the screws 22 and 28 may be simultaneously operated. in forward or reverse directions depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive engine 32.o:`

By disengaging the clutch elements 59 and 5!) the screw 22V can be operated in forward or reverse directioniindependently of the screw 28 `andsimilarly the screw 28 may be operated .in forward or reverse direction independently of the screw 22u55 yby disengaging the clutch elements 54, and

engaging the clutch elements 59, 66.

' From the foregoing it will be observed that I` provide an improved tender capable of carrying Vgreater quantities of fuel and water than Ythe-,150 tenders of past practice and one wherein the fuel isradvanced from the extreme rearwardend 'of Y Y the fuel bin to the frontend of the tender by the provision of fuel advancing means on the rear slope sheet moving the fuelV to fuel advancing05 the gears a, 66a meshing with the Ypinion gear '61 driven by the shaft 68. The aforesaid gearsqnlY are disposed outside of the fuel bin and the shaft 68 extends down through the floor I4 into the compartment I5. A universal joint 69 connects this shaft to the clutch element IB loosely mounted on the round end of the screw shaft 1l. 'Ihe latter is made square forward of the clutch element 10 and a slidable clutch element 'l2 is mounted on the aforesaid square portion of the shaft. Hence, engagement of the clutch elements transmits motion from the shaft ll to the screws 65, 66. The shaft 'H may be mounted like the shaft 38 or the shaft 5l to receive motion from the drive engine 32 and to operate the fuel advancing means accordingly.

Still another embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 6 to l0 inclusive. Is this construction the fuel advancing means on the rear slope sheet is made in the form of a transverse crosshead or pusher member l5 in which there are threaded the spaced longitudinally extending parallel threaded shafts l5, 'il anchored in any suitable manner at their ends. Covers la, 'i9 for the threaded shafts also serve as guides for the pusher member. 'Ihe threaded shafts extend through the fuel bin floor into the stoker conveyor compartment. There each shaft carries a gear 8D, meshing with idler gears 3i, driven by the central gear 82, see Figure 7. The gear 82 is xed on a shaft 83 suitably journalled at its ends which shaft also carries the fixed bevel gear 84. Preferably, the latter is driven, as shown in Figure 8, from the drive construction of Figure 3 heretofore described. This is necessary to permit independent operation of the pusher member, particularly so, when the threaded shafts l, 'il must be operated in reverse direction to move the pusher member back to its uppermost position after the fuel bin has been cleared of fuel. Otherwise, the tender construction is the same as described in connection with Figures l, 2 and 3.

While the main purpose of my invention is to provide and combine the operation of fuel advancing means in the rear portion of the fuel bin with other fuel advancing means in the front portion of the fuel bin, I contemplate that the different forms of fuel advancing means herein shown as mounted on the rear slope sheet of the fuel bin may be used to good advantage in the construction of smaller tenders not equipped with conveying means for transferring the fuel to the locomotive but wherein the f-uel is carried manually from the front end of the fuel bin to the i-lrebox.

I claim:

l. A locomotive tender having a fuel bin with a door having an opening therein and an inclined rear wall, a fuel conveyor positioned on said tender below said floor to receive fuel through said opening, fuel advancing means in said fuel bin mounted on said rear wall including a transverse pusher member and a plurality of longitudinally extending threaded shafts arranged in parallelism on said rear wall and being in threaded engagement with said pusher member, said threaded shafts extending downwardly through said floor and terminating adjacent the rearward end of said fuel conveyor, and drive mechanism disposed beneath said floor rearward of the opening therein between the adjacent ends of said fuel conveyor and said pusher member operatively connecting the rearward end of said fuel conveyor with said threaded shafts and including clutch elements arranged to permit independent operation of the fuel conveyor and fuel advancing means.

2.V A locomotive tender having a fuel bin including a door having an opening therein and an inclined rear wall, a fuel conveyor positioned on said tender below said floor to receive fuel through said opening, fuel advancing means mounted in the fuel bin on said rear wall including a transverse pusher member and a plurality of longitudinally extending threaded shafts arranged in parallelism on said rear wall and being in threaded engagement with said pusher member, said threaded shafts extending downwardly through `said door, and drive mechanism beneath said floor rearward of the opening therein operatively connecting the rearward end of said fuel conveyor with the lower ends of said shafts for imparting rotation to them whereby the pusher member will be moved longitudinally on said rear wall.

3. A locomotive tender having a fuel bin including a door having an opening therein and an inclined rear wall, a fuel conveyor positioned on said tender below said door to receive fuel through said opening, fuel advancing means mounted in the fuel bin on said rear wall including a transverse pusher member and a plurality of longitudinally extending threaded shafts arranged in parallelism on said rear wall and being in threaded engagement with said pusher member, said threaded shafts extending downwardly through said oor, and drive mechanism beneath said floor rearward of the opening therein operatively connecting the rearward end of said fuel conveyor with the lower ends of said shafts for imparting rotation to them whereby the pusher member wil be moved longitudinally on said rear wall, clutch means for rendering said pusher member inoperative independently of said fuel conveyor and clutch means for rendering said fuel conveyor inoperative independently of said pusher member.

4. In a locomotive tender having a fuel bin including a floor having an opening therein and an inclined rear wall, a fuel conveyor positioned on said tender below said floor to receive fuel through said opening, fuel advancing means mounted in the fuel bin on said rear wall including a transverse pusher member and longitudinally extending threaded shafting disposed on said rear wall and being in threaded engagement with said pusher member, said threaded shafting extending downwardly through said floor, and drive mechanism beneath said oor rearward of the opening therein operatively con- PAUL A. KETCHPEL. 

